A mother has spoken out about the terrifying moment she was left with bruised and swollen lips after undergoing a filler injection at a beauty clinic.
Kristine McCarthy, from Sydney, decided to join the popular cosmetic trend of getting a plump pout at a clinic last Thursday.
But following the procedure, the 43-year-old said she was left with noticeable bruising after her lip injection went horribly wrong.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the mother-of-three claimed the nurse had accidentally pierced the main artery, causing her upper lip to dramatically swell.
Kristine McCarthy (pictured before and after the procedure) was left with bruised and swollen lips after undergoing fillers injection at a beauty clinic
‘After the nurse pulled the needle out… I didn’t feel any pain but she was like “oh my gosh” and just grabbed my lip with her thumb and forefinger,’ she said.
‘My heart was racing. I felt sick instantly because I didn’t know what happened. She just said “it’s very unfortunate, you’re going to have a little bruising but it’ll go away.
‘So she told me to hold ice over it while she did my bottom lip. She showed me a mirror afterwards, I didn’t look too bad but I noticed my lips were blue straight away.’
Mrs McCarthy claimed the nurse advised her to simply put ice over her lips – and her bruise would eventually fade away.
But when the mother returned home, she noticed her lips were severely swollen and bruised.
Following the procedure, the 43-year-old mother-of-three said she was left with noticeable bruising after her lip injection went horribly wrong
‘I remember looking in the mirror… It was getting bigger and bigger. It felt like a horror movie. I thought my lips were going to burst,’ she recalled.
‘It was getting really red. It was so shiny, it looked like I had Vaseline on it. My skin had stretched so much, it looked like it was going to burst.
‘It looked horrendous three hours later. My whole body was shaking uncontrollably. I felt like I was going to throw up. I couldn’t believe what was happening.’
When she returned to the clinic, she was told by a doctor over Skype that he believed the nurse had pierced the main artery in her lip.
Mrs McCarthy claimed the nurse had accidentally pierced the main artery, causing her upper lip to dramatically swell
‘I can’t even describe the horror on their faces when I pulled the bag of peas away from my face,’ she recalled.
‘They tested my lip by pushing on the bruise to make sure the colour was coming back.
‘When they pierce the artery, the filler could block the hole and stop the blood flow. Then your lip can get what’s called necrosis, so it could lead to tissue damage.
‘I just thought I was going to lose my lips. You just don’t know. What if I had a reaction to the filler? Who knows.
‘I’ve never had lip fillers done before so it was a very traumatic experience to say the least.’
The following morning, she went to see another doctor who ensured her the swelling and bruising will eventually go away in the coming weeks
The following morning, she went to see another doctor who ensured her the swelling and bruising will eventually go away in the coming weeks.
‘When I arrived there, I was an absolute mess. The swelling had subsided overnight. But I was still shaking and beside myself,’ she said.
‘I went to see another doctor. He did a few tests and the good news is my lips will definitely go back to normal.
‘He assured me I didn’t have necrosis and that I was going to be fine.’
By sharing her terrifying ordeal, Mrs McCarthy wanted to warn other women about the dangers of getting lip injections
Mrs McCarthy said she feels relieved her lips are slowly recovering.
‘Everyday is getting better. The swelling has subsided dramatically,’ she said.
‘I still have a significant bruising but that will hopefully go away in the next week or. I’m just glad I’m okay now, there’s no permanent damage.
‘There is no way I would go through that again. I watch a lot of those botched shows and thought “that’s me, I should be on that show”. I would never do it again.’
Mrs McCarthy said she feels relieved her lips are slowly recovering – as her bruise is expected the fade away over the next week or so
By sharing her story, Mrs McCarthy wanted to warn other women about the dangers of getting cosmetic lip injections.
‘I guess I know a lot of women who have had them done. I just thought, I’m 43, I should give it a try,’ she said.
‘I’d never heard of anyone having any issues – so it never crossed my mind. I didn’t think there would be any complications.
‘I just want other women to understand the risks involved and do your research. I was completely naive and didn’t do my research.
‘Know what you’re getting and know that things can go wrong. And make sure you go to someone who is qualified – and not have a doctor consult you over Skype from a clinic’s iPad.
‘My message is, know the risks, do your research and don’t go in naive.’